Harvey W. Freishtat is Chairman of the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. Through a series of senior management positions over many years, including the past six years as Chairman, Harvey has been instrumental in leading McDermott as it has grown into one of the world’s largest law firms (Top 20) with many branded areas of specialization.
During Harvey’s tenure as Chairman, McDermott has opened offices in Brussels and Houston as well as a strategic affiliated office in Shanghai, and has further enhanced its geographic and practice strengths and integration in the U.S. and globally. McDermott has also become a leader among U.S.-based firms in a number of areas related to professional development, diversity and pro bono.
Among his earlier senior management responsibilities, Harvey served as chair of the Firm’s Compensation Committee where he helped develop a system of compensation to facilitate the Firm’s evolution into a large international law firm. Similarly, as chair of the Firm’s first Practice Integration Committee, Harvey spearheaded various initiatives to enhance client service by improving communication and coordination within the Firm’s platform and with Firm clients.
Harvey began his McDermott career in 1981 as the founding partner of the Firm’s Boston office, which he keeps as his base while spending considerable time visiting each of the Firm’s 16 offices in the U.S. and Europe. Prior to his transition to management, his practice focused on transactional and regulatory work in the health care industry, which involved him in substantial representations involving many of New England’s most significant health care providers and insurers. Harvey is recognized as a pioneer in the field of health law, having practiced in this area since 1972 and founded McDermott’s New England health law practice. While in active practice, Harvey was regularly listed for many years in various peer-selected publications including Best Lawyers in America.
Education
- Harvard Law School, J.D., 1972
- Princeton University, B.A., 1968
